Chris Schwinghamer is a Ph.D. candidate in Wildlife and Fisheries at West Virginia University. His research focuses on evaluating Brook Trout resilience using a long-term dataset in Central Appalachian headwater streams. He earned his B.S. from Emporia State University in Emporia, KS and his M.S from Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau, MO. His interest in fisheries and wildlife biology began when he worked for the Youth Conservation Core in high school through the Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge. Chris volunteers at the Mountain Stewardship and Outdoor Leadership school where he assists in the outdoor education of children from preschool to middle school. In his free time, Chris enjoys hiking through the mountains of West Virginia, photographing wildlife and plants.